DETAILED ACTION
This is a response to the Applicants' file on 6/4/24. In virtue of this filing, claims 1-15 are currently presented in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/4/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 &1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Examiner contacted Applicant’s representative, Michael Stephen on 11/13/25 for discussing a proposed amendment and agreement was reached. However, upon further search, a new rejection is made as below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6, line 4, the term “closely” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-6, 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Wang et al (US Pub. No: 20200128635) in view of Kamata et al (US 2015/0054414).
With respect to claim 1, Wang et al. discloses an LED driving circuit [Fig. 2 and 3], comprising: an electrolytic capacitor C’, connected between two outputs of a rectifier circuit; an auxiliary power supply circuit 22, coupled in parallel with the electrolytic capacitor; dimming control circuit 331 is configured to generate a dimming control signal(paragraph [26]); and a linear driving device circuit 23, configured to control a driving current through an LED load based on the dimming control signal, wherein the linear driving circuit is coupled in series with the LED load. Paragraphs [16-17].
Wang et al. fails to disclose wherein the auxiliary power supply circuit configured to convert a voltage of the electrolytic capacitor into a power supply voltage to at least power a dimming control circuit.
Kamata et al. discloses an auxiliary power supply circuit configured to convert a voltage of a capacitor into a power supply voltage to at least power a dimming control circuit [paragraph 23 and 47]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the features of Kamata et al. into the device of Wang et al. to provide uninterrupted power thus improving circuit performance.
With respect to claim 2, Wang et al. discloses wherein a series connection of the linear driving circuit (23) and the LED load is coupled in parallel with the electrolytic capacitor(c’). Figures 2-3.
With respect to claim 3, Wang et al discloses wherein a first terminal of the electrolytic capacitor is coupled to a first output of the rectifier circuit, and a second terminal of the electrolytic capacitor is coupled to a second output of the rectifier circuit and a ground terminal. Figures 2-3.
With respect to claim 4, Wang et al. as modified claim 1 above, discloses in figure 3 that, wherein the auxiliary power supply circuit (22) is configured as a switch-mode power converter, and two inputs of the switch-mode power converter are respectively coupled to two terminals of the electrolytic capacitor(C’).
With respect to claim 5, Wang et al. discloses in figures 2-3 that, further comprising a voltage regulation circuit configured to control the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor, and to decrease a difference between the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor and a load voltage of the LED load. Paragraphs [17-19].
With respect to claim 6, Wang et al. discloses in figures 2-3 that, wherein the voltage regulation circuit is configured to control the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor based on a voltage sampling signal indicating a difference between the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor and the load voltage of the LED load (paragraph [16]), such that the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor closely matches the load voltage of the LED load. Paragraphs [17-19].
With respect to claim 9, Wang et al. discloses, wherein the voltage regulation circuit (the auxiliary circuit configured to, when determining that a voltage across the electrolytic capacitor (c’) is less than a start-up voltage of an LED load, regulate a current supplied by the controlled current source in order to charge the electrolytic capacitor as show in paragraph [15]) is coupled in series with the electrolytic capacitor between the two outputs of the rectifier circuit. Figure 3.
With respect to claim 10, Wang et al. discloses in figure 3 that, wherein: a) the electrolytic capacitor is coupled to a first output of the rectifier circuit (Dra), and the voltage regulation circuit is coupled to a second output (Dra) of the rectifier circuit; and b) the second output of the rectifier circuit is a ground terminal. Paragraphs [22].
With respect to claim 11, Wang et al. discloses in figure 3 that, wherein: a) the electrolytic capacitor is coupled to a second output of the rectifier circuit, and the voltage regulation circuit is coupled to a first output of the rectifier circuit; and b) a common node of the voltage regulation circuit and the electrolytic capacitor is a ground terminal. Paragraph [22].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8, 12-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Citation of pertinent prior art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure. See prior arts/references listed on the PTO-892 form attached.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1817. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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/Minh Tran/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844